On Wednesday evening, Ken Gass walked into a meeting of the board of directors of Factory Theatre, the company he founded in 1970 and rescued from bankruptcy a quarter-century later.

When he walked out shortly afterwards, he had been terminated as artistic director and, having turned down an offer of a token position as artistic director emeritus, was told not to enter the theatre again, he says.

“I felt that it came as a complete surprise to me,” said Gass, although he said the relationship between himself and the board had grown so tense in recent months he had suggested appointing an arbitrator, a move the board rejected.

What caused the bad blood? It wasn’t financial trouble, according to Gass. “The theatre is in solid financial shape. All shows last year hit their box office targets and the property itself is worth between $8 million and $10 million.”

Others suggest it was a question of how the theatre should be developed, rebuilt and expanded in the future.

“Ken had this big project in mind,” says George F. Walker, the playwright that Factory discovered who has stuck with them throughout his long and distinguished career. “He wanted to expand the mainspace, rebuild the studio, add a restaurant, grow with the neighbourhood.”

Board president Ron Struys refused to discuss specifics with the Star.

“I’m not prepared to get into a discussion of matters that we believe are confidential when we’re dealing with personnel matters,” he said in a phone conversation.

“It was not a quick or easy decision. We continue to appreciate Ken’s contribution to the theatre scene and we were prepared to honour that with our offer of the artistic director emeritus position.”

Gass said the offered job was “a sham position with a token salary and duties that involved dragging me out at opening nights and fundraising events, but with no real say in anything.”

By early Thursday afternoon, the board had put out a news release soliciting appointments for a new artistic director “as part of revisioning for Factory Theatre’s future.”

Albert Schultz, founding artistic director of Soulpepper Theatre, was shocked by the news.

“I don’t know any artistic director in this country who has done more for their theatre than Ken,” Schultz said. “He put his soul, his blood and his money into the place. How many people do that?”

Designer Shawn Kerwin, a member of the Factory board, was also shocked.

She is currently in Blyth, designing the opening show for the theatre festival there, and says she was told her presence was not required for Wednesday’s meeting.

“No one ever told me Ken was going to be terminated, either before or after the meeting,” Kerwin said. “My opinion was never sought. In fact, I had to hear the news from Ken today.”

He has received numerous honours, including the Dora Mavor Moore Silver Ticket Award for lifetime achievement (1997), the George Luscombe Award for theatre mentoring and a Toronto Arts Award (both 2001), the Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts (2010) and the first special citation from the Toronto Theatre Critics Association (2011) for making Factory Theatre “the place where some of the best Canadian playwrights debut, develop and grow.”

After founding the theatre, Gass left in 1979 and returned in 1996.

Walker’s latest script, Dead Metaphor, was supposed to have its Canadian premiere at Factory in March 2013, but he said he would pull the play.

“Who do they think they are, firing Ken Gass from his own theatre?” said Walker. “It’s like someone firing you from your own house.”

Gass was still reeling from the decision. “I gave 15 years of my life to that theatre,” he said.

“Yes he did,” agreed Struys, “but it also ran for 22 years without him.”

The board of directors of Factory Theatre terminated Ken Gass as artistic director at a meeting on Thursday night.

In an email sent to the Star on Friday morning, Gass said that “Last night, the Board of Directors of Factory Theatre informed me that my position as artistic director was terminated, effective immediately. No ‘cause’ has been given for the action, but simply that they have decided it is time for the Theatre to move forward in a different direction. For me the termination was a surprise and unexpected.

“I am not happy about this, as this is not the way I would have planned my exit after more than 15 years working at the Factory and at this point in my artistic career, but the Board has made its decision and I am looking forward to the next chapter of my creative life.”

Gass founded the theatre in 1970 and ran it with great distinction until 1979. He later returned in 1996 when it was nearly bankrupt and kept it alive through an infusion of $5,000 of his personal funds.

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